The Bassist and Guitarist thread

[FrothNinja]

...and when you thought it couldn't get any worse :

View attachment 738787

Wonder if it makes intonation easier

 

[FrothNinja]

More tidying.

View attachment 740347

Is that a Hofner shorty on the left of the desk?

 

[rogerzilla]

I appear to have bought a Jazz Bass. It was an exceptionally good price with a hard case and is the rather uncommon Agave Blue.

I need to learn about the various hand techniques (I'm playing with my thumb at the moment, which could lead to dangerous slap-bass territory if I don't stop) but I have tried some favourite riffs and they were not difficult.

 

[winjim]

I have terrible right hand technique (stop sniggering at the back) and find it particularly difficult to strum (STOP IT!) without dropping the pick.

I read recently that Chris Isaak drills a hole in them to get a better grip, so I tried it and it works. You could probably do a neater job than me.

View attachment 739413

The best picks are made by Moshay. I used to know someone who imported them but I'm not sure if you can get them in this country any more.

I've been neglecting the guitar recently in favour of piano and synth, might need to get back to it as the 5yo is starting lessons next term. I've got a little ½ size nylon stringed affair ordered for him, I hope he takes to it.

 

[rogerzilla]

Ooh, they look just the ticket.

 

[winjim]

Ooh, they look just the ticket.

They're quite a soft nylon so probably no good if you like a hard, sharp pick and that also makes them fairly thick. They come in two sizes as well, the big ones are fairly huge. I'll have to see if I can dig out any of my old ones, or maybe track any down online.


Edit: £30 for a sample pack plus £20 shipping from the US...

 

[Drago]

Tortex Triangle, 0.7 for bass, 0.5 for guitar and mando. They'll make you a goddammit sexual tyrannosaurus!

 

[rogerzilla]

I have too many guitars but I have found the unicorn - a Gretsch G5439. Exactly the same as my black Pro Jet, with no Bigsby, hump block fret markers and Filter'Tron pickups, but in the very traditional Gretsch silver sparkle (drum kit material). Very cheap, apparently has awful pots. They will not cost much to swap out, although I probably won't do it myself. I changed all the pots on a Marshall practice amp last month and, although the results are perfect, it reminded me how bad lead-free solder is, and how a 25W iron isn't quite enough for big lumps of steel.

 

[FrothNinja]

I have too many guitars but I have found the unicorn - a Gretsch G5439. Exactly the same as my black Pro Jet, with no Bigsby, hump block fret markers and Filter'Tron pickups, but in the very traditional Gretsch silver sparkle (drum kit material). Very cheap, apparently has awful pots. They will not cost much to swap out, although I probably won't do it myself. I changed all the pots on a Marshall practice amp last month and, although the results are perfect, it reminded me how bad lead-free solder is, and how a 25W iron isn't quite enough for big lumps of steel.

I've been looking for a G2655 with a Bigsby, but I want to try one first

 

[rogerzilla]

I've been looking for a G2655 with a Bigsby, but I want to try one first

That'll be a G2655T.

 

[DRM]

https://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier...r/classic-vibe-50s-telecaster/0374030550.html
I got one of these last Monday, in “Butterscotch Blonde” and it’s a belter, very nice, and the quality is really up there, and the sound is very much correct for a Tele, well chuffed with it

 

[raleighnut]

https://www.fender.com/en-GB/squier...r/classic-vibe-50s-telecaster/0374030550.html
I got one of these last Monday, in “Butterscotch Blonde” and it’s a belter, very nice, and the quality is really up there, and the sound is very much correct for a Tele, well chuffed with it

Depends what you mean by 'classic Telecaster sound', when my Japanese Squier Tele got nicked in a burglary I went to the shop dealing with the claim and plugged in a couple of Mexican Telecasters, very thin and 'twangy' then plugged in a 'shop soiled' ex display Californian one, totally different, a much fatter sound. It needed some work (well quite a bit actually) but I'm friends with one of the best Luthiers around and he sorted it (4 loose frets, and a level and re-crown plus dropping the action from where the shop had wound it up to stop it buzzing)

 

[DRM]

Depends what you mean by 'classic Telecaster sound', when my Japanese Squier Tele got nicked in a burglary I went to the shop dealing with the claim and plugged in a couple of Mexican Telecasters, very thin and 'twangy' then plugged in a 'shop soiled' ex display Californian one, totally different, a much fatter sound. It needed some work (well quite a bit actually) but I'm friends with one of the best Luthiers around and he sorted it (4 loose frets, and a level and re-crown plus dropping the action from where the shop had wound it up to stop it buzzing)

Basically it twangs in the neck position, quacks in the bridge position, and I think that quality wise it’s up there with any MIM Fender, more than adequate in my amateurish hands, it seems pretty well set up, (it’s new to me) and is a pretty good nod to an early 50’s Telecaster, what it isn’t is a direct replica, but I seem to have stumbled across a gem of an instrument. I saw a YouTube video of one compared to a Fender American Original, I couldn’t tell the difference in sound, neither could others in the comments, it does seem that it punches way above its price point

 

[Drago]

Of course the MIM, like the US and Japanese teles are available with numerous combinations of pickups/windings (classic, vintage, 70s, Esquier style, split or stacked windings, etc) and electrics (different circuitry and quality of pots etc), so the sound of one model type is unlikely to be representative of another.

The Harley Benton tele style guitars are supposed to be incredibly good for the outlay.

 

[raleighnut]

Basically it twangs in the neck position, quacks in the bridge position, and I think that quality wise it’s up there with any MIM Fender, more than adequate in my amateurish hands, it seems pretty well set up, (it’s new to me) and is a pretty good nod to an early 50’s Telecaster, what it isn’t is a direct replica, but I seem to have stumbled across a gem of an instrument. I saw a YouTube video of one compared to a Fender American Original, I couldn’t tell the difference in sound, neither could others in the comments, it does seem that it punches way above its price point

What I meant was some Telecasters have a very country sound whilst others are more bluesy